Chris Gragg

A former wide receiver, Gragg has had trouble staying healthy, but when he's on the field he is a savvy and reliable pass catcher. He made a few starts in 2008 as a freshman, but then missed the entire 2009 season with an ankle injury, earning a medical redshirt. Gragg returned and played sparingly in 2010 before becoming the starting tight end in 2011. He had career-best numbers as a junior with 41 catches for 518 yards and two touchdowns. Gragg was poised for a big senior season in 2012, but like the rest of the Arkansas offense, it was a forgettable season. He spent more time on the sidelines this past year than on the field, struggling with a leg injury and finishing with just 22 receptions. He is a reliable pass catcher, but is more of a wide receiver/tight end hybrid, lacking an ideal frame for the tight end position. Gragg's durability is a strong question mark, but when healthy, he projects as a move-tight end in the NFL.

strengths

Fluid and smooth athlete, moving like a bigger wide receiver. Able to gain free release off the line of scrimmage with the quickness to create separation in his routes. Improved route-runner with a strong plant foot to make sharp cuts in/out of his breaks. Tracks the ball well to extend and snatch it with his hands. Does a nice job catching the ball in stride to pick up yards after contact. Nice job making contested grabs and staying tough over the middle. Has done a nice job putting good weight on his frame and working hard in the weight room.

compares to

Lance Kendricks, TE, St. Louis Rams

weaknesses

Lacks ideal frame for the position and needs to continue to add bulk. Still needs a lot of work as a route-runner and didn't excel on routes that weren't shallow crossing patterns. Has had some costly drops and appears to have streaky focus and confidence at times. Needs to eliminate the mental errors, something his coaches have pointed out. Struggles to sustain blocks and needs to develop his technique in this area to compensate for his leaner build. Durability is a strong concern after missing most of his senior season with a leg injury and a history of several other medical issues.

As a senior at Warren High School, he tallied 28 receptions for 420 yards and eight touchdowns for coach Bo Hembree. He was rated as the No. 15 overall player in the state by Rivals.com. He was ranked No. 14 overall in the state of Arkansas by the HawgSports.com Natural 21. He was rated as the No. 148 receiver in the nation by Scout.com.

Born June 30, 1990, he is the son of Kelvin and Tenita Gragg. He is majoring in sports management and was named to the Athletic Director’s List for the fall of 2009. He was a member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll and the Razorback Honor Roll in the fall of 2011.